Transporting apparatus for the tube changer of a textile machine



Aug. 27, 1968 HAUSSMANN TRANSPORTING APPARATUS FOR THE TUBE CHANGER OF ATEXTILE HACHIIIE Filed Sept. 28, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 .rllll LL. illlkFHHH... I

Inventor- W s. QM

Aug. 27, 1968 HAUSSMANN 3,398,519

TRANSPORTING APPARATUS FOR THE TUBE CHANGER OF A TEXTILE MACHINE FiledSept. 28, 1967 S Sheets-Sheet 3 awn 32 34 3g :4

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ag) mm S Aug. 27, 1968 G. HAUSSMANN TRANSPORTING APPARATUS FOR THE TUBECHANGER OF A TEXTILE MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 28, 1967United States Patent 3,398,519 TRANSPORTING APPARATUS FOR THE TUBECHANGER OF A TEXTILE MACHINE Gerhard Haussmann,Ebersbach-Sulpach,'Germanyj'assignor to Zinser-TextilmaschinenGesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Ehersbach (Fils), Germany FiledSept. 28,1967, Ser. N0.l,671,345 Claims priority, applicatii); Germany,Sept, 29,1966 1 445 Claims. (or. 57-52 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Fulltubes are dotted by gripper means from textile spindles located ina-first plane and placed on tube holders located in a second parallelplane, whereupon empty tubes are taken from the tube holders and donnedon the spindles. The gripper means are mounted on a carriage which ismovable on another carriage transverse to the planes, and with the othercarriage parallel to the planes, and an endless chain is connected tothe first mentioned carriage to move the gripper means between positionscooperating with the full tubes on the spindles and the empty tubes onthe tube holders.

Background of the invention The present invention is an improvement ofdonning and dofiing apparatus by which full tubes having a yarn packagethereon are exchanged for empty tubes on whic a yarn is then wound toform a package.

Apparatus of this type is particularly used in spinning and twistingmachines. A known apparatus has parallel guide bars along whichcarriages are moved on which a rail carrying grippers is mounted. Theguide bars are mounted on a common shaft and turnable about an axisparallel to the plane of the spindles. Bymoving the carriage along theguide bars, and by angularly displacing the latter, the grippers can beplaced in a position for gripping the fullt-ubes, and in anotherposition for placing the full tubes on tube holders on a conveyor band.In the same manner, empty tubes can be taken froin the conveyor band andplaced by the grippers on the spindles. This construction according tothe prior art has the disadvantage that independent drives and controlmeans are required for the tilting movement of the guide bars, and forthe up and down movements of-the carriages thereon. In some spinning andtwisting machines, cam means are located under the spindle so that it isdifficult to build the tube changing apparatus into the machine,particularly if the apparatus is to be added to an existent machine.

Summary of the invention It is one object of the invention toovercomethe disadvantages of known tube transporting and exchangingapparatus for textile machines, and to provide-a tube 3,398,519 PatentedAug. 27, 1968 holders; and drive means including an operating meansmovable along a path having two main path portions parallel to theplanes and spaced the predetermined distance, and a connecting pathportion.

In accordance with the invention,'the tube transporting means include afirst carriage guided for movement parallel to'the first and secondplanes in'vertical direction, a second 'carriage mounted on the firstcarriage and guided for movement in a horizontal direction transverse tothe vertical planes, and gripper means mounted'on the second carriageand movable with the same between first and second positions located in'the firstand second vertical planes, respectively. The operating means,preferably a stud secured to an endless chain, is connected with thesecond carriage for moving the same relative to the first carriage thepredetermined distance while the operating stud moves along theconnecting path portionformed by a chain portion passing over a chainwheel. In this manner, the grippers are moved between positions locatedin the first and second vertical planes. When the operating stud. hasmoved to a position located in a straight chain portion, the secondcarriage is moved with the first carriage parallel to the first andsecond planes in vertical direction so that the grippers are movedbetween positions gripping and releasing tubes on the spindles and thetube holders.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tube holders arespaced from each other half the distance which the spindles are spaced,and every second tube holder carries an empty tube. Full tubes aredolfed from the spindle and placed on empty tube holders, whereuponempty spindles are taken from every other tube holder and donned on thespindles. The conveyor with the tube holders is moved stepwise betweenpositions in which the grippers are located in the planes of the emptytube holders, or in the planes of the empty tubes on every other tubeholder in order to doff full tubes from the spindles, or to don emptytubes on the same when the direction in which the controlling chain isdriven is reversed.

The construction of the invention has the advantage that all requiredmovements of the grippers can be derived from reversal of the movementof a single drive means which effects reciprocation of the drive chain.Another advantage is that the tube transporting apparatus can be mountedin a region of an existent spinning or textile machine where there areno other parts of the machine which would render the addition of thetube transporting apparatus difiicult, or impossible.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as transporting apparatus of simpleconstruction which can 7 be built into existent textile machines withoutmajor modifications of the machine, and which is controlled by simpleoperating and drive means.

Another object of the invention is'to provide a tub transportingapparatus for dofling and donning tubes on the spindles of a spinningmachine or twisting machine, and which is arranged and constructed so asto form no obstruction to the spinning and twisting operations.

With these objects in view, one embodiment of the invention comprises arow of spindles mounted on a spindle rail and located in a firstvertical plane, conveyor means having a row of tube holders located in asecond plane parallel to the first plane and spaced from the same apredetermined distance; tube transporting means for transporting tubesbetween the spindles and the tube to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a front view of a ringspinning machine provided with a tube transporting apparatus accordingto the invention, known parts not required for an understanding of theinvention being omitted for the sake of clarity; FIG. 2 is across-sectional view taken on line IIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front view illustrating a detail of FIG. 1 on anenlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 andillustrating a modification; and

FIGS. 6 to 14 are schematic side elevations illustrating successiveoperational positions of the apparatus.

Description of the preferred embodiment -The ring spinning machine shownin FIG. 1 has a head stock 10, a tail stock 11, and a plurality ofspindles 13 arranged in a row on a spindle rail 12. During a normaloperation, full tubes 14 including a tube 15 and a package 16 arelocated on the spindles 13, but in the view of FIG. 1, two full tubes 14have been removed from two spindles for the purpose of clearerillustration. During a preceding operation, yarn was drawn, twisted, andthen wound on empty tubes 15 on spindles 13 so that yarn packages 16were formed on tubes 15.

FIG. 1 only illustrates the spindle rails and spindles on the front ofthe machine, and a corresponding spindle rail and spindles are providedon the rear of the machine. Each row of spindles 13 cooperates with atube transporting apparatus according to the present invention, only thetube transporting apparatus in front of the machine being shown in FIG.1, and it will be understood that a corresponding apparatus is providedat the rear of the machine. The tube transporting apparatus of theinvention simultaneously exchanges all full tubes on the spindles 13 forempty tubes 15, which requires delivery of empty tubes, and removal offull tubes in longitudinal direction of the machine by a conveyor means17 having a row of alternate tube holders 24 and 24'. Empty tubes 15 areplaced on every second tube holder 24, while tube holders 24' are emptyfor receiving full tubes 14. Conveyor 17 is driven by a motor 20 drivinga drive 'roller 21 of conveyor 17 whose other end passes over a roller22. The number of tube holders 24 and 24' on conveyor 17 is twice thenumber of spindles 13 on the spindle rail, but the distance between twoadjacent tube holders 24 and 24 is half the distance between twospindles 13 so that all empty tube holders 24' are aligned with spindles13 carrying full tubes 16, although transversely spaced from the same asbest seen in FIG. 2.

During movement of conveyor 17 in the direction of the arrow D, emptytubes 15 were placed on every second tube holder 24 by a tube supplydevice 25 of known construction. After the full tubes 14 are placed onthe empty tube holders 24', and the empty tubes 15 are placed on thespindles 13 in a manner which will be explained hereinafter, thedirection of movement of conveyor 17 is reversed so that the full tubeson tube holders 24' move in the direction A under a receiving station inwhich the full tubes are detached from tube holders 24' and dropped intoa container in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, andwhich does not form part of the present invention.

The exchange of the full and empty tubes on spindles 13 is effected bytube transporting apparatus generally indicated by reference numeral 19,and including a plurality of tube transporting means 29 spaced along thespindle rail and conveyor 17.

Each tube transporting means has a first carriage 30 which is guidedalong vertical guide means 31 which are parallel to the vertical planedefined by the axes of spindles 13. Guide means 31 include two guiderails 54 and 55, see FIG. 4, having inner confronting guide faces 52 and53 in contact with three rollers 49, 50, 51 rotatably mounted betweentwo plates of the first carriage 30.

A second carriage 32 carries a rail 27 on which grippers 28 are mountedspaced from each other the same distance as spindles 13. The secondcarriages 32 are respectively mounted on the first carriages 30 formovement in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the plane 70 definedby the axes of the spindles. The gripper rail 27 extends along themachine substantially over the length of the spindle rail 12, and issecured to the second carria-ges 32 of all tube transporting means bybrackets 34. The construction of'the grippers 28 which automatically 4grip the tube-ends and-release the same again, is known and not anobject of the present invention.

The second carriage 32 of each tube transporting means 29 is driven byoperating means-which include an endless roller chain or other flexiblemeans 35, --and a coupling means in the form of a coupling stud 36secured to the roller chain and projecting into a bearing bore 37 in anarm 38 of carriage 32, as best seen in FIG. 3.

The endlessroller chain '35: passes over a drive chain wheel 39, a guideroller 40 and a return wheel 41 so that'the chain has two main chainportions and 47 parallel to a plane 70 of spindles 13, and a connectingsemi-circular chain portion passing over wheel 41. The drive chainwheels 39 are fixed to a drive shaft 42 extending in longitudinaldirection of the machine and being located under the guide means 31 ofcarriage 30. Drive shaft 42 is driven by a reversible drive motor 43which is started and reversed by control apparatus schematicallyindicated at 44 in FIG. 1 and being of a conventional construction knownto those skilled in the art and forming no part of the-"presentinvention.-

'As best seen in FIG. 2, the coupling stud 36 effects movement ofcarriage 32 along guide means 33 of carriage 30 in a directiontransverse to the vertical plane 70 when coupling stud 36 moves along asemi-circular path defined by chain wheel 41. While coupling stud 36moves with one of the straight chain portions 45 or 47, carriage 32 ismoved up or down parallel to plane 70 and since it is positivelyconnected with carriage 30, the same is also moved up or down along theguide rails 55, 54 of guide means 31.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the tube holders 24, 24' on conveyor 18 are alllocated in a vertical plane 71 which is parallel to the plane 70 passingthrough the axes of spindles 13, and spaced a predetermined distancefrom the same. The vertical plane defined by guide rails 54 and 55 isperpendicular to planes 70 and 71, and the endless chain 35 is locatedin the same plane, the chain portions 45 and 46 being located within theguide rails 54 and 55, as best seen in FIG. 4.

The main chain portions 45 and 47 are spaced the same distance as planes70 and 71 so that the grippers 28 move along a path 48, shown in chainlines in FIG. 2, having two main portions parallel to chain portions 45and 47, and a curved connecting portion parallel to the chain portionpassing .over wheel 41. While coupling stud 36 moves along a semi-circleto a position located diametrically opposite the position shown in FIG.2, gripper rail 27 and grippers 28 are moved from a position located inplane 70 above the spindles and full tubes to a position located in theplane 71 and above the tube holders 24 since carriage 32 is moved bycoupling stud 36 the distance between planes 70 and 71. The spacingbetween path 48 and chain 35 corresponds to the distance betweencoupling stud 36 and grippers 28.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate parts of the tube transporting means on alarger scale, and show the rollers 49, 50 and 51 of carriage 30 inrolling contact with confronting surfaces 52, 53 of guide rails 54 and55. The main portions 45, 47 of roller chain 35 are located within thehollow guide rails 54, 55 which are provided with lateral slots 60, 61through which coupling stud 36 projects into bearing bore 37 of arm 38of the second carriage 32. The hollow prismatic guide rails 54, 55 aresecured to a box 62, see FIG. 2, in which the drive chain wheel 39 islocated. Another box 63 is carried by the upper ends of the guide rails54, 55. The carriage 32 has two guide rolls 64 which project into atransverse groove 65 of a guide member 66 secured to carriage 30. Thetransverse groove 65 is straight and guides carriage 32 along a straighttransverse path on carriage 30. Carriage 32 is located laterally of theplane passing through the main portions 45, 47 of chain 35, but has abracket 34 crossing this plane and carrying the gripper rail 27.

' The dofiing and donning operations carried out by the tubetransporting means 29 will now be explained withreferenc'eto'FIGS.6to14.

In the position of FIG. 6; carriages 30 and 32', and gripper means 28are-in a position of rest in which the grippers 28 are located above thetube holders and empty tubes on conveyor 17. Coupling stud 36 is locatedon the straight chain portion 45. Drive chain wheel 39 is now rotatedinclockwise direction so that the straight chain portion 45 moves in thedire'ctionof the arrow B until car riages 30 and 32 are raised intheposition of FIG. 6 to the level of the axis of chain wheel 41.While'coupling stud 36 moves on 'chain'wheel 41 along a semi-circularpath, carriage 32-is moved relative to carriage to a position in whichthe grippers 28 .are located in plane 70 and respectively above fulltubes 14, as shown in FIG. 7. Further movement of the' chain movescarriages 32 and 3t) downwards along a straight path portion, .whilegrippers 28 move down in plane'70 to a position engaging and grippingthe full tubes 14, as shown in FIG. 8.

Thereupon, the drive wheel 39. is reversed by reversing the direction ofrotation of drive motor 43 which drives shaft 39 so that the carriagesand grippers holding the doffed full tubes are raised to the positionshown in FIG. 9 while the chain moves in the direction of the arrow B.This movement is continued so that coupling stud moves along asemi-circular path portion on chain wheel 41 so that carriage 32 ismoved to the left relative to carriage 30, and the grippers carry thefull tubes along a curved path portion into plane 71. Further movementof the chain in the direction B places the full tubes on the empty tubeholders 24 which are respectively located in parallel verticaltransverse planes passing through the axes of spindles 13 and empty tubeholders 24.

Thereupon, the direction of rotation of drive chain wheel 39 is reversedso that chain 35 moves in the direction of the arrow B, and since thegrippers release the full tubes, the same remain on tube holders 24while the grippers and carriages rise again, as shown in FIG. 10.

This movement of the grippers and carriages is not continued, but atthis moment, conveyor 17 is controlled to move in longitudinal directionof the machine and spindle rail a step corresponding to half thedistance between spindles 13, so that empty tubes 15 are placed underthe grippers 28, respectively. Thereupon, the direction of rotation ofdrive wheel 39 is again reversed so that the chain moves in thedirection B until the grippers respectively engage the empty tubes 15,as shown in FIG. 11.

The direction of rotation of drive wheel 39 is again reversed so thatthe chain moves in the direction E, raising the carriages and gripperswhich take the empty tubes 15 off the tube holders 24, as shown in FIG.12. Further movement of the chain in the direction E places the emptytubes 15 respectively above the spindles 13 in a manner explained withreference to FIGS. 6 to 8, and this movement is continued until thegrippers place the empty tubes 15 on the respective spindles 13, asshown in FIG. 14 whereupon the direction of movement of the chain isagain reversed, and the grippers and carriages are returned to theposition of FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modified construction of the chain drive. The driveshaft 42 is not located under the vertical guide rails 54 and 55 onwhich carriage 30 is guided, but a guide roller 42a and a guide roller40a guide a loop portion of chain 35 over a small drive chain wheel 42b.All drive chain wheels 42b of the several tube transporting means 29 aresecured to a drive shaft 420 which is located on the side of conveyorband 23 and conveyor 18 remote from chain 35. Since drive shaft 42 isnot located under the tube transporting means 29, the spaces between theindividual tube transporting means 29 remain free, and drive shaft 420extends parallel to the conveyor means 18 and along the same.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a usefulapplication in other types ofdoffing and donning apparatus for tubes mounted'on spindles of a textilemachine differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in atube transporting means including-two relatively movable carriagescarrying gripper means and controlled by reversible drive to first dolIfiull tubes from the spindles, and then don empty tubes on the same, itis not intended to be limited to the details shown, since variousmodifications and structural changes may be made without departing inany way from the spirit of the present invention. v

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can 'byapplying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended, to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Tube transporting apparatus for textile machines, comprising, incombination; supporting means; a row of spindles mounted on saidsupporting means and located in a first plane; conveyor means having arow of tube holders located in a second plane parallel to said firstplane and spaced from the same a predetermined distance in a directiontransverse to said planes; at least one tube transporting means fortransporting tubes between said spindles and said tube holders, saidtube transporting means including first carriage means mounted on saidsupporting means for guided movement parallel to said first and secondplanes, a second carriage means mounted on said first carriage means forguided movement in said transverse direction, and gripper means mountedon said second carriage means and movable with the same between firstand second positions located in said first and second planes,respectively, said gripper means being operable to grip and release saidtubes; and drive means including operating means movable along a pathhaving two main path portions spaced said predetermined distance and aconnecting path portion, said operating means being connected with saidsecond carriage means for moving the same relative to said firstcarriage said predetermined distance while said operating means movesalong said connecting path portion and said gripper means move betweensaid first and second positions, and for moving said second carriagemeans with said gripper means in said first and second planes while saidoperating means move along said main path portions so as to move saidgripper means between positions gripping and releasing tubes on saidspindles and said tube holders.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said operating means includeflexible means, wheel means for guiding said flexible means so that thesame has two straight main portions parallel to said first and secondplanes and being spaced said predetermined distance, at least one curvedconnecting portion, and a coupling means secured to said flexible meansfor movement along said path and engaging said second carriage means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said flexible means is anendless chain means having two main portions parallel to said first andsecond planes and being spaced said predetermined distance.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first and second planesare parallel vertical planes; and wherein said flexible endless chainmeans is located in a vertical plane perpendicular to said first andsecond planes.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tube holders are spacedfrom each other half the distance which said spindles are spaced; andcomprising means controlling the operations of said operating means, ofsaid gripper means, and of said conveyor meansso that said transportingmeans doff full tubes from said spindles and place the same on everysecond tube holder of said row, and take empty tubes from every othersecond tube holder and don the empty tubes on said spindles; a pluralityof said tube transporting means, each comprising said first and secondcarriage means, and a plurality of said operating means respectivelyconnected with said second carriages.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said drive means include ashaft extending under said tube transporting means and driving saidplurality of operating means.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said drive means include adrive shaft driving'said plurality of operating means and being locatedon the side of said conveyor means remote from said tube transportingmeans.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting meansincludes a pair of straight guide rails parallel to said first andsecond planes for guiding said first carriage means along said mainportions of said path; and wherein said first carriage means has aplurality of guide elements in contact with said guide rails.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said guide rails are hollowand prismatic; wherein said operating means include a flexible meanshaving two main portions parallel with said first and second; planes andspaced said predetermined distance, a curved connecting portion, and acoupling stud secured to said flexible means and connected with saidsecond carriage said main portions of said flexible means being locatedin said hollow guide rails, said guide rails havingv slot means throughwhich said coupling stud projects.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim'9 wherein said second carriage meansis located laterally of said guide'rails and has a bore engaged byvsaidcoupling stud.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I JOHN PETRAKES, PrimaryExaminer.

